On May 20, 2024, the IRS issued private letter ruling (“PLR”) 202434006 (the “2024 PLR”) that permits employees to allocate an employer contribution among various benefits outside of a cafeteria plan. The IRS has previously...more
On June 17, 2024, the IRS issued Fact Sheet 2024-22, which includes nine FAQs about educational assistance programs. The Fact Sheet also links to a sample program document for employers....more
On June 21, 2024, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit (“Fifth Circuit”) issued its ruling in Braidwood v. Becerra. The court determined that the Affordable Care Act’s (“ACA”) requirement that group...more
Earlier this year, a Johnson & Johnson (“J&J”) employee brought a class action complaint (the “Complaint”) against J&J alleging fiduciary breaches under ERISA related to the prescription drug coverage under J&J’s self-funded...more
The Department of Labor (“DOL”) recently released a final regulation (the “Fiduciary Rule”) redefining “investment advice” under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”) and section 4975 of...more
On April 16, 2024, the IRS issued Fact Sheet 2024-13, which includes FAQs addressing the tax treatment of employer-provided work-life referral services. The FAQs generally provide that the value of these services can be...more
On March 28, 2024, the Departments of Labor, Treasury, and Health and Human Services (the “Tri-Agencies”) issued final regulations on short-term, limited-duration insurance (“STLDI”), hospital and other fixed indemnity...more
On March 11, 2024, President Biden released his budget for Fiscal Year 2025. Hewing closely to proposals in its last budget, the Administration’s new budget proposes a number of major tax increases, including the following...more
On January 22, the Departments of Labor, Treasury, and Health and Human Services (“Tri-Agencies”) issued a set of Frequently Asked Questions (“ACA FAQs Part 64”) clarifying the contraceptive-related services that plans and...more
The DOL Wage and Hour Division recently released a new rule changing how workers are classified under the Fair Labor Standards Act (“FLSA”) (“Final Rule”). The Final Rule replaces DOL’s 2021 final regulation and provides a...more
On January 16, 2023, the Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS”) dropped its appeal of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia’s September 29, 2023 decision that vacated a portion of the 2021 Notice of...more
On December 19, 2023, the Department of Labor (“DOL”) issued a proposed rule rescinding a Trump Administration rule that expanded the availability of association health plans (“AHPs”) (the “Proposed Rule”)....more
On November 9, 2023, the IRS issued Rev. Proc. 2023-34, which announces the 2024 indexed limits for certain health and welfare benefits. This is in addition to the limits that the IRS announced on May 16, 2023 in Rev. Proc....more
On October 18, the IRS issued Notice 2023-70, which increased the PCORI fee from $3 per covered life to $3.22 per covered life for policy and plan years that end on or after October 1, 2023 and before October 1, 2024....more
On September 29, 2023, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia vacated the 2021 Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters (“2021 NBPP”) amendments to Affordable Care Act regulations. The amendments permitted (but...more
In 2019, California passed a law that created the Long Term Care Insurance Task Force (“Task Force”) to examine how to design and implement a long-term care insurance program. The Task Force recommended a payroll tax to fund...more
On July 7, the Departments of Labor, Treasury, and Health and Human Services (the “Tri-Agencies”) published a long-anticipated proposed rule (“Proposed Rule”) that...more
On July 7, the Departments of Labor, Treasury, and Health and Human Services published a proposed rule (“Proposed Rule”) regarding, among other things, the requirements for fixed and hospital indemnity insurance to be...more
On June 23, 2023, the IRS issued Notice 2023-37 (the “2023 Notice”) regarding COVID-19-related coverage for HSA-compatible high-deductible health plans (“HDHPs”) and preventive care for HDHP purposes in light of the district...more
On June 8, 2023, the IRS released Chief Counsel Advice 202323006 (the “CCA”) addressing the tax treatment of wellness indemnity payments made by employer-funded fixed indemnity insurance policies. The CCA generally provides...more
A recent opinion out of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit provides additional support for ERISA-governed severance plans to incorporate a “discretionary component” as a factor in determining eligibility for...more
On April 28, 2023, the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) Office of Chief Counsel issued a Chief Counsel Advice (“CCA”) explaining the requirements for claim substantiation for health and dependent care flexible spending...more
The COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (“PHE”) and National Emergency (“NE”) have been in place since early 2020. In January 2023, President Biden stated his intention for both to end on May 11, 2023. There have been many...more
4/7/2023
/ Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employee Benefits ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Enrollment ,
Health Insurance ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Medicaid ,
MHPAEA ,
Public Health Emergency ,
Vaccinations ,
Virus Testing ,
Workplace Safety
On March 30, 2023, the District Court for the Northern District of Texas issued an opinion and order in Braidwood Mgmt. Inc. v. Becerra that vacates the implementation and enforcement of certain preventive service provisions...more
4/3/2023
/ Affordable Care Act ,
Constitutional Challenges ,
Cost-Sharing ,
Employee Benefits ,
Employer Group Health Plans ,
Health Insurance ,
Healthcare ,
Non-Grandfathered Health Plans ,
Preventive Health Care ,
Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) ,
Vacated
On February 23, 2023, the IRS published final regulations (the “Final Rule”) that materially expand which reporting entities must file electronically rather than on paper. These requirements apply to a number of tax returns,...more